Let Me Save You
by ladypink11
Summary: The Doctor cannot stop thinking about Clara and unbeknown to her is spending every possible minute with her. He runs into trouble when he accidentally slips to Angie and Artie something he never wanted Clara to know. Set after ANIS. Please R&R x
1. Chapter 1

A mystery wrapped in an enigma squeezed into a skirt that's just a little bit too...  
Tight.

Stop it. Doctor you're 900 years old stop acting like a lovesick teenager. Does that mean I'm in love? Shut up, no. Of course not. Or am I?

The Doctor shook his head roughly, it was almost like the Cyber Planner had never left. Even since their encounter with the Cybermen The Doctor had not been able to stop thinking about Clara, dear Clara. Dear Clara? Had he ever called anyone dear before? He blinked, several times as if to blink Clara from his mind completely, of course it didn't work. He couldn't stop thinking about her because she was a mystery right? Her impossibility the only reason she was the only think on his mind right? Right.

Pushing thoughts of Clara from totally taking over his mind he ran to the console and immediately set the time and date to next Wednesday, even though he had promised himself to take some time before next seeing her. Little did Clara know The Doctor would set the Tardis to fly to next Wednesday the very minute she left his ship, she could never know though it would be so off-putting, so embarrassing for her. Shaking his head once more he exited the Tardis trying to eradicate the goofy grin plastered across his face.

Clara was in her room when she heard the sound of the Tardis blaring from outside, she let out a miniature squeal of joy then quickly began coughing as if to cover up the noise.

She didn't know that from the landing Angie had heard that very small squeal of joy and was grinning to herself.  
"Artie" she called, excitedly. "We have work to do"

"Doctor."  
"Clara." The Doctor nodded in response before brushing past her into the brightly lit hallway of the Maitland family home and breezing into the kitchen before standing short at the sight of Angie and Artie sitting and smiling at him intently from the breakfast bar.  
"Shouldn't you two be somewhere?" The Doctor gesticulated wildly. "School? The park? I don't know."  
"Teacher training day" came Angie's rapid fire reply.  
"Ahhh" The Doctor smiled, he didn't know what one of them was.  
Angie smirked but her oncoming point was interrupted by Clara's call of  
"Dooooctor".

The Doctor swivelled on his breakfast bar chair so fast he went round a second time and was forced to hastily grab the microwave to prevent the inevitable disaster of meeting the floor.  
"Clara?"  
She pretended not to notice he now had the microwave sat firmly in his lap.  
"Got some stuff to do, keep Angie and Artie company. Angie and Artie, look after him."  
"Yes, yes of course. How long will you be exactly and what stuff?"  
Clara simply smirked, turned on her heel and padded upstairs.

"Doctor"  
"Angie"  
"Where are you taking Clara today?"  
"Well" the Doctor straightened his bow-tie absentmindedly, I am taking Miss Clara to a planet called to Trixobianious, more specifically to the best grilled cheese place in the universe, them I thought I would show her the plains of the Trixobianious ice desert. Would she like that do you think? Is it her thing?"  
Angie scoffed.  
"What's an ice desert? Artie piped up from his comic magazine.  
"Well Artie, about say a billion years ago the desert was a normal one, blue sand, golden sky or something like that and fantastic desert rats size of cars! Friendly of course, and then..."  
"And then it went cold and all froze yeah?"  
The Doctor started at Angie then frowned, pulling his lips upwards in a somewhat upset looking, lost puppy look. Even Angie felt a little sorry for him.  
"Sorry Doctor, saw it coming. Anyway back to your date with Clara.  
"It is not a date!" The Doctor flung his hands in the air.  
"Dinner out and then a romantic walk, Doctor that's a date." Angie folded her hands together and laid them on the table, clearly satisfied with herself.  
"I, it is not, I, shut up." The Doctor curled his lip grumpily."  
"You like her don't you?"  
"Angie!" Artie squealed.  
"What? It's true isn't it Doctor?"  
"No, I, well, no, I"  
Even Artie was interested now.  
"Have you kissed her?" Angie pressed.  
The Doctor paused, briefly and just for a second but Angie's eyes lit up.  
"You have!"  
"No I haven't, well, she, I,"  
"She kissed you? Angie look puzzled, something which didn't go unnoticed by The Doctor.  
"Not exactly, and please go on, try and look more disbelieving."  
"Not exactly?" Angie raised an eyebrow and The Doctor couldn't help but smile at the way she reminded him so much of his Clara. Snapping back to reality he realised both Angie and Artie were waiting for answer he couldn't give, one he couldn't explain himself.  
"Well she kissed me but it wasn't really her well it was but it wasn't and it might have been I don't know but it was a long time ago nothing to worry about" he paused for breath and tried intensely to look anywhere but the Maitland children.  
"How long ago?" Angie tried wryly.  
"Victorian time?" The Doctor suggested quietly, almost wishing not to be heard.  
"Clara was Victorian?!" Artie shouted.  
"Keep your voice down!" The Doctor hushed, glancing worriedly at the ceiling above.  
"She was and she wasn't, oh dear, I think I might have to explain and I'm not sure I want to."  
"Oh I think you might have to" Angie shocked face, had been replaced with familiar smirk.  
"Well I met Clara in Victorian London and she was a governess who was actually a barmaid and she got me off my cloud and she kissed me! Oh Jenny, Vastra and Strax were there, must check in on them actually -remind me. No wait don't forget I said that"  
"Doctor?"  
"Yes?"  
"Does Clara know about this?"  
"Not exactly, no." The Doctor looked away, finding himself unable to meet Angie's piercing gaze.  
"Why?" She demanded.  
"Well you see I don't really understand the situation myself if I'm honest amd I trying to figure it out before I tell her, otherwise she'll only work herself up and we wouldn't want that would we Angie?" The Doctor beamed broadly at both Angie and Artie, they got the message.  
"Fine we won't tell her! Just to be clear she definitely kissed you?"  
"Yes like I told you! She kissed me!"

"Who kissed you?"

Both the Doctor, Angie and Artie froze.  
Then one by one they each turned to see Clara stood in the doorway, one hand placed carefully on her hip and eyebrows raised quite unbelievably high.  
"Go on Doctor, who kissed you?" He could hear the playful mocking in her voice and prayed she hadn't heard that much.

Clara swallowed her emotion behind a mask of mockery. Blinking quickly twice to conceal her tears.

Her mind was whirring, information buzzing.

What had she just heard?


	2. Chapter 2

"No-one kissed me"

"No no Doctor I heard you very well just then and you definitely just stated that someone kissed you"

The Doctor swallowed back his emotion, he wasn't quite sure - he never really fully got the emotion thingy, but from looking at her face, at his Clara's face it was clear as the moons of Araphoxkia that she was hiding something and he prayed she hadn't heard too much.

Angie came to his rescue,

"The Doctor was just telling us about this girl he took a shining to on a trip to Victorian London"

"The girl who kissed you?" Clara was again trying to hide her emotions behind a teasing tone but it was clear to both Angie and Artie, although less so to the Doctor that Angie's words had hit her hard. She was looking at the Doctor her eyes wide and almost begging him to deny the truth - that he had been kissed and seemingly had enjoyed being kissed by a girl, in Victorian London.

His cheeks reddened and this was all the confirmation she needed. For a brief moment, one so brief it was barely undetectable she seemed to crumble and her eyes fade then she steeled herself made hasty excuses and walked calmly to the door at the bottom of the stairs. It was only when she had left the sight of the three pairs of concerned eyes in the kitchen that they heard the pounding of her footsteps as she ran to her room and just before the slamming of her door a faint but pained sob could be heard through the otherwise silent Maitland house.

She buried her face in the pillow relishing the soft comfort it provided, then it hit her that the Doctor brought her comfort and she threw the pillow to the side of the room, a single act of defiance to the news which had crushed her and then her fight went and she collapsed on the bed and sobbed silently. She sobbed for the Doctor and how he obviously didn't, couldn't feel for her like she felt for him. She sobbed for the fact someone else had touched their lips to his and he had enjoyed it had enjoyed her. She sobbed for the fact he couldn't even bring himself to tell her - he obviously deemed her so pathetic, so childish he was scared to even tell her he had found someone, scared she would react like she did, in a fit of tears that reminded her of someone more Angie's age than hers. She sobbed for the fact he evidently put as much time between their weekly meetings as he could flying off to Victorian London the second he could rid of her, for all she knew he put years between their meetings dreading their Wednesday with a passion with which she looked forward to them. But this wasn't all she sobbed for. She sobbed for her embarrassment. She sobbed for the way she had clearly revealed every hidden emotion and he had sat there and let her run it wasn't even him - it was Angie - that had finally put her out of her misery as she had silently and desperately begged for the words she heard leaving the Doctor's lips to be a lie.

Then no more tears came.

She sat up, drying her eyes with a rough hand only noticing then they were shaking.

She picked up the pillow, smoothed out the wrinkles in her sheets, swallowed her pride and walked downstairs.


	3. Chapter 3

Their Wednesday Clara had so longed for was somewhat tainted by the questions that hung between them. When she had breezed down the stairs and demanded their leave the Doctor had taken her to some cheese place but Clara had had no appetite much to the Doctor's dismay.

"Clara" he had told her. "Clara, people travel from all around the universe to eat this, it recently won an award for best food product since the year 2010, when I obviously of course invented fish fingers and custard. Considering we're in the year 56,099 that's pretty impressive Clara! People travel their whole lives to eat this Clara and you, you think 'it needs ketchup'?!"

She had just stared and him, offering only a sad smile.

That's when he had stopped eating out down his grilled cheese and taken her hands in his and whispered to her  
"What's wrong my impossible girl?"

For a second she had almost crumbed almost leaned into his arms and told him the petty truth, that she was jealous of a girl who's been dead for nearly 55,000 years. A girl who he visited, and did more than just the usual hugging and face touching with to start. She wanted nothing than to tell him the truth and be done with it but her last shred of dignity kicked in and suddenly she was angry, angry at the Doctor for making her fall for him, angry at him for having some girlfriend and not telling her. That's why it slipped out.

That's why they were here now.

She had torn her eyes from him and looked down at her plate, still full, and muttered.  
"Why don't you take your girlfriend here?."

They had journeyed back to the TARDIS in silence and he had immediately busied himself tinkering with the console but as the words left Clara's lips he had snapped his head around and met her eyes once more, trying not to get lost in the deep pools of her eyes.  
"My what?" He felt his face redden and silently cursed the well, awkwardness, of this regeneration. Nine would have played this cool.  
He watched as the swirling chocolate pools of her eyes darkened.  
"Don't mess me around Doctor, I know you have some secret girlfriend who you rush off to the second you get rid of me."  
"Clara I-" He fidgeted, suddenly uncomfortable with the intensity of her presence.  
"You what Doctor?" She set her eyes on him, challenging him to deny it and he was suddenly reminded of Angie when she had questioned him about Clara this morning, well, a morning 54,086 years ago.

He had had to make a choice like this once before. A choice where no matter what his decision was he would cause hurt, and pain, a choice where he had really no choice at all.  
That's why he chose to step away. To let Clara believe what she thought was the truth. He'd made a selfish decision once before and let people get hurt and it had haunted him for 400 years. He would not let Clara get thrown into a world he didn't even understand.  
"I'm so sorry Clara"  
It was all the confirmation she needed, that last slither of hope clinging on to the Doctor burned and suddenly she didn't feel angry anymore, she just felt deflated.  
"Doctor I think I'd like to go home"  
He did bother to try reason they'd only been out for 3 hours, it wasn't worth it, he saw the look on her face and it killed him to know it was his fault. So wrapped up in his guilt was he, he barely noticed the sound of the engines, barely registered the fact they were being thrown around the TARDIS it was only as he grabbed the rail and saw the look of confusion and terror on Clara's face he realised he hadn't flown the TARDIS but yet they had moved.

Gingerly he made his way to the doors followed by Clara, even in her remorse she still felt safer by the Doctor's side.  
He slowly placed his hand on the door, a sickening feeling churning in his gut, suddenly quite unable to perform even the smallest task of opening the door.

So Clara did it for him.

They were in London, that was clear as daylight.  
London has it's own atmosphere of sorts and Clara and the Doctor immediately sensed it.

That wasn't why the Doctor froze, a hand still on the door and it wasn't why Clara punctured their silence with a sharp intake of breath as terror struck her.

It wasn't just that they were in London as such.

It was just that this London was unmistakably...

Victorian.


	4. Chapter 4

"Is this some sort of a joke Doctor? Because I am definitely not laughing."

"What? Clara! No! I would never… The TARDIS… She…"

"Oh right, I get it" Clara had been up until this moment calm but she stormed to the console and stared at it menacingly.

"You little… Not enough for you was it? You had to go and rub it my bloody face didn't you?" She hissed, trying not to let the Doctor hear her from where he stood, still staring out at the London scene.

She could have sworn the TARDIS laughed but before she could hit it with the nearest object the Doctor swooped back in.

"Ok Clara, we should not be here. Paradox." His gaze flitted to Clara who was glaring at the TARDIS console. "Possible double paradox" he continued under his breath.

"Lets go." He pulled down on a lever and rocked back on his heels.

The TARDIS wheezed for a second, then they were greeted with a deafening silence as darkness enveloped them.

"Clara" He began and she picked up the hesistation in his voice straight away.

"Doctor what is it?" She wheeled around to face him and he was momentarily lost as he swam in the chocolate pools of her eyes. He blinked. Focus Doctor.

"Clara, I am so sorry but, well, we're stuck here."

"What do you mean _stuck?_" She narrowed her eyes uncertainly and he swallowed roughly.

"Well, long story short the TARDIS is being a massive baby and has shut herself off." He emphasised the point by thrusting a finger at the console his lips curling upwards in a pout. "And so until I can get her going, we're stuck in Victorian London."

"Doctor?" Clara's voice was suddenly deathly calm and suddenly he was quite afraid of the tiny woman.

"Clara?" He gulped.

"How long are we stuck for Doctor?" She emphasised this with a sickly sweet smile which ended up as a grimace."

"Maybe an hour..." She raised an eyebrow

"And a day" Her right hand went to her hip.

"And maybe a week…"

"A week?" Suddenly the calm was gone and she stepped forward so that they were barely half a metre apart and even in their situation the close proximity of their bodies made the Doctor flush as he shifted uncomfortably.

"Clara I'm sorry!"

"So you've said Doctor, so you've said."

With that she slowly made her way to the TARDIS doors and shivered at the chill of the air outside.

"I need some time alone Doctor, come find me when you've fixed the TARDIS."

With that she was gone, into the cold London air. What Clara didn't know is that Timelords have very sensitive hearing and although she could have never have known he didn't miss the words she muttered as she stepped out into the blistering wind.

"Go find your girlfriend."

* * *

After about 5 minutes of walking Clara realised she had absolutely no idea where she was going and her headstrong decision to walk out on the Doctor was seeming more and more childish as she got colder and colder. She was about to turn back to the TARDIS and admit defeat when she heard her name being called through the wind.

She turned sharply, looking for source but couldn't spot whoever had called her. Perplexed she continued walking but suddenly a hand grabbed at her arm and she turned to see a man she had never met before yet. He was smiling at her as if he knew and reflexively she smiled back. His nose and cheeks were tinged pink with the cold and she couldn't help but think it was cute. For a moment she almost scoffed at his fancy attire and then she remembered she was in Victorian London and bit back her chuckle, it was clear though that this man was from a wealthy background.

"Sorry can I help you?" She smiled politely, but her smile dropped at the frown that marked his face. He said nothing and she felt obliged to continue. "Is there something wrong?"

He recovered from his trance-like state to shake his head confusedly at her.

"Clara?" His voice pitched slightly.

"Yes?" She began to feel uneasy in the stranger's presence.

"Why are you talking all funny, and well…" He took a step back to scan his eyes over her tartan skirt and cropped jacket. "What are you wearing?!"

She remembered in a fluster that she was wearing 2013 clothes and her lilted Lancashire accent obviously didn't bode well with the upper-class London one of the man in front of her.

"Are you Clara?" He asked, seeming a little wary of her and his slight wariness strangely put her at ease, as if they were both on equal terms.

"Well yes, but not your Clara"

He looked as confused as she felt.

"She's my cousin" She lied and watched as realisation, suspicion and finally acceptance flitted across his face.

"Your cousin?"

"Yes, I just arrived from the North, explains the clothes you see." She gestured to her attire, hoping very much that this man had never been to the North.

"And the accent?" She softly breathed a sigh of relief at his acceptance of her patchy story.

"Yep, so I've really go to go, I'm sorry." She motioned to leave, she wanted to speak to the Doctor about this Clara girl who must be running around looking similar to her, she didn't like the coincidence. As she turned he grabbed her arm again.

"Wait… have you eaten yet?"

Her brows furrowed. "No."

"Then let me take you to dinner, we can talk and then you can go and meet your cousin. Where are you staying tonight?"

"Oh in a pub" The lie was easy.

"A pub?" He looked incredulous and she realised quickly that the notion of staying in a pub overnight was disgusting to this man. She decided to play along with it, hoping her acting skills would pull her through.

"Yes." She wrinkled her nose, and did her best disgusted face. "Only for one night though."

"Nonsense" He waved his hand dismissively. "You will stay with us and your cousin."

"Oh gosh no I couldn't" She panicked.

"I insist, please."

"I'm really not sure. My cousin and I aren't really on good terms at the moment." She lied again.

"Oh.." He looked a little deflated and she suddenly felt a bit bad.

"Still, dinner?"

She was about to politely decline and then she remembered the Doctor and how he was probably off with his girlfriend by now.

She looked at the man and decided he was safe enough.

"Ok sure."

He smiled.

"But first, what's your name?"

Latimer. Captain Latimer.


End file.
